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Monday, 5 October 2015

Challenging Nudity

This article was prompted by readers' comments HERE. I'll try to deal with this subject as delicately as I can.

For many many years artists, painters, sculptors and photographers have been fascinated by the nude body. It has been accepted as art and admired by many over the years.

Look at the two pictures below:

Pierre Auguste Renoir

SLR Camera Automatic Shutter Speed

Question 1 Would you say that both pictures are art? Why/why not?

Question 2 What is nudity anyway? (Rhetorical question - no need to answer).

Question 3 If a person goes around naked in the privacy of their own home is that OK do you think?

Question 4 What if it was two persons, male and female, or both the same sex, naked in the privacy of their home; is that OK?

Question 5 What if it was five people, ten people, or more in a private nudist club or beach; is that OK do you think?

Question 6 Difficult question this - Can a Christian be a nudist?

Consider this scenario. (BASED ON TRUE FACTS).

Four friends walking down the beach, they are aged mid-twenties or so. There are two men, one woman and YOU.

They are wearing nothing but swimming attire. They walk in the sand and every so often they jump in the water for a while; but mostly they walk on the beach. It is a deserted area and no one else there.

Suddenly, they are approached by two naked men. One of them says: "You can't go any further folks. This is a nudist beach. Did you not see the sign back there where you came from?"

They hadn't.

The two men suggest that to go on further the four friends have to take their swimming pants off and place them in the hut nearby. They can then proceed naked.

Surprisingly, the two male friends quickly take their pants off. Even more surprising, the young woman also delicately takes off her bikini. Clearly, they see nothing wrong in being totally naked.

At this point in life, when I stand nude in front of my mirror, I wonder "Who is this person?" Why would I subject anyone else to the ravages of time is my question?I had gotten behind reading while out of town, Victor. HOW did you really get on this subject of nudity?Blessings, Friend!

Glad to see you safely back in town. On a previous post about a Wedding Reception (see link above in my post here) nudity was mentioned by some guests there. Comments made on that post by readers said they expected all the reception guests to be in the nude.

This led me thinking. What is nudity anyway? If someone is nude all the time in their home is it nudity? Hence my post above.

Just left you a very long comment and my phone messed it up. I think they are both art. Okay with the others, but not really my thing. However, we should not judge a heart we cannot see because of actions we don't understand. This is for God alone.

I would skip the wedding. Lulu cracks me up.

Victor, I LOVED Visions. Couldn't put it down. Just ordered the next one.

Doesn't it really upset you when you type something long and the computer or the phone loses it all. I normally hit the computer HARD on the side and end up hurting my hand.

Thank you for your answers, Kim. I'm glad you thought both pictures, which are similar in nature, as art. That's how I feel, but many people see a photo with a camera as not art.

Thank you so much for your kind words about VISIONS. It took a few years planning in my head but much shorter time when I started writing it. I hope you also like my "memoirs" - As I Quote Myself. Let me know what you think.

Just left you a very long comment and my phone messed it up. I think they are both art. Okay with the others, but not really my thing. However, we should not judge a heart we cannot see because of actions we don't understand. This is for God alone.

I would skip the wedding. Lulu cracks me up.

Victor, I LOVED Visions. Couldn't put it down. Just ordered the next one.

1. Yes, but I find picture 2 more offensive.3. Yes4. Not sure. Depends if they are married or same sex relatives. My daughter (age 9) and I see each other naked all the time. My son and I used to see each other naked when he was very small, but I didn't feel comfortable with it when he got older.5. No.6. The Bible calls us to be modest. The question is, what does that mean. The apostles would be really shocked by what we wear today. So are we wrong? I don't know. There are some cultures where nudity is a part of daily life, and I suppose you can be a Christian and walk around naked in that environment. But I feel that nudist camps put too much emphasis on being naked. 7. I would have definitely turned around.

Hi Victor! Well, this is quite a can of worms for me. I suppose both of the photos are art. Our bodies are the work of God, and therefore beautiful. What you do in your own home belongs to you. If you want to walk around nude, go for it. Same for nudist clubs.

Can a Christian be a nudist? Of course. Who cares if you want to go naked in your club? I don't. Just don't ask me to join you. My feelings are more in Lulu's camp!Blessings,Ceil

Thank you Ceil for your responses. I suppose I'm with you all/most of the way. I don't particularly mind people going nude; it's the being Christian at the same time which I don't understand.

I guess that having accepted there's nothing wrong with being nude; it is silly of me to deny Christians doing it. What I mean to say; if a Christian joins a nudist club, should he confess it as a sin?

Q1: #1 is art, #2 is just clicking a camera shutter. Art requires arrangement and I find it difficult to classify photography as art. I know a lot of people would disagree with me. It has nothing to do with the nudity, however. Just photography in general.

Q2: The absence of clothes? Is that too obvious?Q3: I don't see what would be wrong with it, if no one is at home.Q4: I guess it would be OK if it were husband and wife. But only husband and wife. But I would think that's a silly way to live.Q5: I don't approve of public nudity.Q6: No. I don't think so.Q7: Absolutely not.

Thank you Manny for your straight answers. I think I agree with most of them except perhaps No 1. Taking a photo is more than just clicking a camera. Apart from all the technical bits which I don't really understand there is the "art" or skill of positioning your subject so it looks good, angle of photo taken, lighting and so on.

1. I would classify them both as art. However, I am not crazy about either one...2. :)3. No problem as long as they are not in plain view of their neighbors. 4. Husband and wife, OK or very small children. 5. No. 6. God judges the heart, but I believe a Christian shouldn't want to be a nudist for several reasons. First, the Bible calls us to dress modestly. Secondly, for some this is just an occasion to lust after another. Thirdly, we are to think of the other person and not be the cause of our weaker brother to sin if they have (or might have) a weakness in this area. Finally, I have to ask myself " What would Jesus do?"...can't see Him being a nudist. 7. Leave --- lots of other nicer beaches here:)

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VISIONSISBN 978 1536 976076By VICTOR S. E. MOUBARAK

A vibrant tale of supernatural events, with a fast-paced storyline and strong believable characters, “VISIONS” is a challenging must-read Christian book for everyone ready for a reality check on what they actually believe.

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When Father Ignatius’ past catches up with him there is no way to escape the consequences for him and those around him. He must face facts regardless of how seriously they could affect his vocation as a priest.